Test your basic knowledge |

Instructions:
  • Answer 50 questions in 15 minutes.
  • If you are not ready to take this test, you can study here.
  • Match each statement with the correct term.
  • Don't refresh. All questions and answers are randomly picked and ordered every time you load a test.

This is a study tool. The 3 wrong answers for each question are randomly chosen from answers to other questions. So, you might find at times the answers obvious, but you will see it re-enforces your understanding as you take the test each time.
1. The floor area of the building divided by the total area of the site (square feet per acre)






2. Management of forest resources to meet the long-term forest product needs of humans while maintaining the biodiversity of forested landscapes. The primary goal is to restore - enhance - and sustain a full range of forest values - including economic -






3. American Society of Heating - Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers.






4. A measure of greenhouse gas emissions associated with an activity. A comprehensive carbon footprint includes building construction - operation - energy use - building-related transportation - and the embodied energy of water - solid waste - and const






5. A structure that uses water to absorb heat from air-conditioning systems and regulate air temperature in a facility.






6. An indicator of ventilation effectiveness inside buildings. CO2 concentrations greater than 530 parts per million (ppm) above outdoor conditions generally indicate inadequate ventilation. Absolute concentrations of greater than 800 to 1000 ppm genera






7. The temperature - humidity - and airflow ranges within which the majority of people are most comfortable - as determined by ASHRAE Standard 55-2004. Because people dress differently depending on the season - thermal comfort levels vary with the seaso






8. Wood that has been issued a certificate from an independent organization with developed standards of good forest management. This certificate verifies that wood products come from responsibly managed forests.






9. Systematic improvements in the performance of a market or market segment. For example - EPA's ENERGY STAR program has shifted the performance of homes - buildings - and appliances toward higher levels of energy efficiency by providing recognition and






10. The controlled admission of natural light into a space - used to reduce or eliminate electric lighting.






11. Native plants occur naturally in a given location and ecosystem. Adapted plants are not native to a location but grow reliably with minimal attention from humans. Using native and adapted plants can reduce the amount of water required for irrigation






12. Not capable of being replaced; permanently depleted once used. Examples of nonrenewable energy sources are oil and natural gas; nonrenewable natural resources include metallic ores.






13. A plan that diverts construction debris from landfills through recycling - salvaging - and reuse.






14. An unwanted airborne element that may reduce indoor air quality (ASHRAE Standard 62.1-2007)






15. Solid particles or liquid droplets in the atmosphere. The chemical composition of particulates varies - depending on location and time of year. Sources include dust - emissions from industrial processes - combustion products from the burning of wood






16. The amount of waste disposed of other than through incineration or in landfills - expressed in tons. Examples of waste diversion include reuse and recycling.






17. The process of reducing peak-period vehicle trips.






18. A stormwater control feature that uses a combination of an engineered basin - soils - and vegetation to slow and detain stormwater - increase groundwater recharge - and reduce peak stormwater runoff.






19. The percentage of water delivered by irrigation equipment that is actually used for irrigation and does not evaporate - blow away - or fall on hardscape. For example - overhead spray sprinklers have lower irrigation efficiencies (65%) than drip syste






20. Also known as regional materials - the amount of a building's materials that are extracted - processed - and manufactured close to a project site - expressed as a percentage of the total materials cost. For LEED - regional materials originate within






21. The spent or used water from a home - community - farm - or industry that contains dissolved or suspended matter.






22. A process used to remove volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from a building by elevating the temperature in the fully furnished and ventilated building prior to human occupancy.






23. A comparison of a building system's performance with a standard - such as ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager.






24. A formal USGBC process in which a project team experiencing difficulties in the application of a LEED prerequisite or credit can seek and receive clarification - issued as a Credit Interpretation Ruling. Typically - difficulties arise when specific i






25. The variety of life in all forms - levels - and combinations - including ecosystem diversity - species diversity - and genetic diversity.






26. A combination of symptoms - experienced by occupants of a building - that appear to be linked to time spent in the building but cannot be traced to a specific cause. Complaints may be localized in a particular room or zone or be spread throughout the






27. Precipitation captured and used for indoor needs - irrigation - or both.






28. An optional LEED Green Building Rating System component whose achievement results in the earning of points toward certification.






29. A small fluorescent lamp - used as a more efficient alternative to incandescent lighting; also called a PL - twin-tube - or biax lamp. (EPA)






30. A required LEED Green Building Rating System component whose achievement is mandatory and does not earn any points.






31. Capable of decomposing under natural conditions. (EPA)






32. Excavated areas that detain stormwater and slow runoff but are dry between rain events. Wet ponds serve a similar function but are designed to hold water all the time.






33. A measure of a building's energy performance compared with that of similar buildings - as determined by the ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager. A score of 50 represents average building performance.






34. The amount of water consumed by flush fixtures (water closets - or toilets - and urinals). The baseline flush rate for water closets is 1.6 gpf - and for urinals - 1.0 gpf (EPAct 1992)






35. A basic unit of nature that includes a community of organisms and their nonliving environment linked by biological - chemical and physical processes.






36. A control system capable of monitoring environmental and system loads and adjusting HVAC operations accordingly in order to conserve energy while maintaining comfort. (EPA)






37. The percentage of material in a product that was recycled from manufacturing waste. Preconsumer content was formerly known as postindustrial content. Examples include planer shavings - sawdust - bagasse - walnut shells - culls - trimmed materials - o






38. The area on a project site that is used by the building structure - defined by the perimeter of the building plan. Parking lots - landscapes - and other nonbuilding facilities are not included in the building footprint.






39. Meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. (Brundtland Commission)






40. A document that details the commissioning program overview - identification of the commissioning team - and description of the commissioning process activities.






41. A rating that indicates the efficiency of air filters in the mechanical system. MERV ratings range from 1 (very low efficiency) to 16 (very high efficiency).






42. The level of pollutants prescribed by regulations that is not to be exceeded during a given time in a defined area. (EPA)






43. Vehicles that use low-polluting - nongasoline fuels - such as electricity - hydrogen - propane or compressed natural gas - liquid natural gas - methanol - and ethanol. In LEED - efficient gas-electric hybrid vehicles are included in this group.






44. Typical primary measures of energy consumption associated with buildings include kilowatt-hours of electricity - therms of natural gas - and gallons of liquid fuel.






45. The percentage of material in a product that was consumer waste. The recycled material was generated by household - commercial - industrial - or institutional end users and can no longer be used for its intended purpose. This includes returns of mate






46. The nature of air inside the space that affects the health and well-being of building occupants. It is considered acceptable when there are no known contaminants at harmful concentrations and a substantial majority (80% or more) of the occupants do n






47. Management of a forest to produce in perpetuity a high-level annual or regular periodic output - through a balance between increment and cutting. (Society of American Foresters)






48. The primary goal of each prerequisite or credit.






49. Waste and recyclables generated from construction and from renovation - demolition - or deconstruction of existing structures. It does not include land-clearing debris - such as soil - vegetation - and rocks.






50. A community's total greenhouse gas emissions divided by the total number of residents.